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Community Race at LMU Raises Funds for Local Schools

More than 1250 members of the Westchester community participated in the 2012 Race for Success on Saturday, May 19. The 5K walk/run, held on the Loyola Marymount University campus, raised money for local schools.

“All schools, whether public, private or charter, are hurting for funds due to cutbacks,” said Mathu Matthews, one of the organizers of the event. “The race provided a venue for these schools to come together and raise money and awareness while giving community businesses an opportunity to support as well.”

The race began at 8 a.m. and participants ran or walked the 3.1-mile-long course. Children aged 9 and under had the option of participating in a kids’ 1K. LMU has hosted the event for the past several years because of its strong commitment to education and to the local community.

“Hosting this race is the university’s way of demonstrating its ongoing commitment to the schools, students and parents in this community,” said Clarence Griffin, director of community and local government relations at LMU. “The education of future leaders is a quality that everyone agrees is the highest priority.”

The proceeds benefit the local elementary, middle and high schools in Westchester, Playa Vista and Playa del Rey. Each school will decide how to best utilize the money, whether it’s augmenting salaries for teachers to keeping class sizes low to funding music and art programs.

“If we don’t show our children how important their education is, we have no hope of them becoming good community members. We need to show them we are committed to their success,” Matthews said. “The race gives the community a way to show that spirit and unites them in a common goal to help raise funds that schools so desperately need.”